Automatic stopping system for railroad cars



' Aug. T 14. 1928.

J. 'FARENC' AUTOMATIC STOPPING SYSTEM FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed Sept. 25, 1925 I15 Jl'l'arneys I77 vefyzfoi'.

Jea n/ 7"2vrenc Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES JEAN FABENC, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

AUTOMATIC STOPPING SYSTEM FOR RAILROAD CARS.

Application filed September 25, 1925, Serial No. 58,576, and in France September 26, 1924.

My invention has for its object an automatic stopping system'for railroad cars.

The braking or stopping of railroad cars upon grades in the sorting stations, which is generally effected by hand, requires a considerable amount of labour and therefore a great expense, as a man must be stationed ateach sorting track in order to provide for the stopping of'the cars.

It has already been proposed to employ suitable track shoes at the several braking points, which will automatically be, displaced after having performed an operation which lasts for a determined time, but in the known devices for this purpose, the shoe must be returned to the braking position by hand, or further the device will afford only a reduced braking course during which the shoe is gradually withdrawn from its position below the wheel which it stops, thus reducing by degrees the surface of the shoe which is in contact withthe-ra il and the wheel.

My system wherein the aforesaid drawbacks are eliminated is characterized by the fact that the braking or stopping shoe is provided with two guiding devices whereof one is fixed and the other movable, preferably remaining parallel with the track, in combination with means for the automatic return of the said-shoe, and in this maimer, by eliminating all lateral stresses upon the movable guiding means, I am enabled to provide an apparatus of substantial construction, reliable operation, and of an entirely automatic nature.

The appended drawings show by way of example various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. '1 is a longitudinal view. Fig. 2 is a generalplan view, with the shoe, at the start, in the operative position.

Fig. 3 is a correspondingsection on the line c n of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and v "Fig. 5 is a sectionon line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the example shown in the drawing, the stopping shoe 1 is considered as analogous to the known types, except that it has no guiding flanges and is slidable on the rail 2 itself. 2 is an auxiliary rail whichatthe commencement of the displacing action will support the weight of the wheel with which i the shoe is still engaged at this time.

Upon the side of the shoe next the outside of the track there is mounted a sleeve 3 (or i said rod is constantly connected therewith.

Upon the sleeve or socket 3 mounted on the face of the shoe corresponding to the outside of the track I provide a contact portion 17 which during the whole arresting stroke will remain in contact with a rail 18 which serves for displacing purposes, and

whose operative element 18 is bent at an angle relatively to the direction of the track and becomes separated therefrom as shown in Fig. 2.

At the interior of the rail 2 of the normal track is disposed anelev'ating rail 19 whose 3 function will be furtherset forth; said rail whichis parallel with the track for some two meters comprises a flat part which is joined to two'slight ramps 19 and 19 situated at the ends and inclined in opposite directions.

Upon'the endof the said guiding rod,on the side next the end of the stroke, is mounteda strong spring 20, in contact with an abutment 21. The two springs 22, 722' placed upon the respective guiding rods 23, 23 which are perpendicular to the track and are supported by the flanges 24, 24,

urge the rod 4 together with the said shoe into the operative position. i

The operation is as follows: The set of railroad cars to be braked moves forward in the direction of the arrow F the shoe which is supposed to occupy the starting position (Figs. 1 and 2) is acted upon by a wheel; theshoe SLuPS the said wheel and is drawn by the latter along the rod4. i i

The flange of the wheel enters upon the ramp 19 of the said elevating rail, and mounts upon the latter; as the train continues to advance, the wheel proceeds upon ramp 19' and thus rises above the shoe, be ing no longer supported by the same while continuing to push upon the rear end of the said shoe, butas soon as the wheel comes upon the elevating rail 19, it is sutliciently raised above the shoe in order that the latter will be released. \Vhen this release movement of the shoe has been started, the projection 17 will now have enteredinto contact with the bent portion 18 of the guiding piece or rail 18, so that the said socket and the shoe will be gradually separated from the track, and the former will now cause the gradual pivoting of the said rocking levers on their axes.

Fig. 3 shows the amplitude a. of the motion.

The displacing action may be effected since firstly it takes place gradually according as the wheel leaves the shoe and secondly inasmuch as the length of the said 1' cking levers and the play between the socket 3 and the rod 4: are given sutiicient values in order that the said rod may accompany the shoe. For the usual types, this is about 113 mm. The wheel continues to move forward, and it clears the elevating rail and then returns to the normal track rail. During this time, the spring 20 has expanded, thus bringing the said socket and shoe into the starting position; the springs 22, 22 will have brought the said rocking levers into the operative position. In this manner, the apparatus now assumes the position for the stopping of the succeeding wheel.

It will be necessary to accurately determine the position of the said elevating rail relatively to the remainder of the apparatus.

It will be noted that in my said invention, the movable elevating rail device constitutes a particular object whose use is not limited to the said automatic arresting system as hereinbei'ore set forth, and I may in fact utilize the said movable device in all arrangen'ients employing a brake shoe. Obviously, all such utilizations will come within the scope of my said invention.

I may thus automatically provide for the termination of the braking action at any desired point on the stroke of the shoe, by rendering the guide element 18 movable, and it may also be moved forward along the track towards the starting position of the shoe. The said shoe will be displaced when it meets with the said guide element. In fact, the use of the elevating rail is not essential to obtain the displacing action of the shoe, even when it is in contact with a wheel.

The said arresting system may be put in or out of action by setting the said rocking levers torward or backward. Various methods of control may be employed, and the said levers may be placed under electric control by means of the motor 25 oi the switching motor type.

In all cases, the use of the suitable control for the apparatus will otter no prejudice to the principle of the invention, and the general arrangen'ient thus altorded will be obviously covered by the invention.

Claims- 1. An automatic stopping apparatus for railroad cars, comprising a stopping shoe. a double guiding device for the shoe, one part of which is fixed and the other movable while remaining parallel with the track. and an automatic returning means for the shoe, whereby the i'novable guiding part will be relieved from all lateral stresses, thus obtaining an apparatus of substantial construction, reliable in operation and ot an entirely automatic nature.

2. In a. stopping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the stopping shoe slides on a straight rod arranged parallel with the track and provided with a check and a guard rail with which the cheek engages, said guard rail serving as a guide, and having a portion inclined from the track, whereby the entire stress due to the release of the shoe is brought upon the said guiding rail, while relieving the rod parallel with the rail from all strain, said rod being provided near the end with a reaction spring assuring the return of the shoe into the original stopping position.

3. In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a stopping shoe, a guide rod upon which the shoe is mounted, vertical levers rigidly connected with the guide rod and pivotally mounted on axes parallel with the track, whereby the rod may recede transversely from the track, and reaction springs for returning the guide rod to normal position.

In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a stopping shoe mounted to move transversely of the track, and means for elevating a car wheel above the shoe during the lateral displacement of the shoe.

In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a stopping shoe mounted to slide longitudinally of the track and to swing laterally thereof, means for elevating a car wheel above the shoe, means whereby the shoe will be slid and swung laterally of the track, and means for returning the shoe to normal position.

(3. In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a stopping shoe mounted to slide loirgritudinally of the track and to swing laterally thereof, means for elevating a car wheel above the shoe, said means ineluding a guiding member and a contact member, and means for returning the shoe to normal position.

7. In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a movable support arranger] parallel with a track rail, a shoe slidably mounted on the support and extending over the track to be slid on the support by a car wheel, and means whereby the support will be operated to move the shoe from the track rail at the end of the travel of the shoe on the support.

8. In an automatic stopping means for railroad cars, a movable support arranged parallel with a track rail, a shoe slidable on the support and extending over the track rail, means whereby the support will be operated to move the shoe from over the track rail at the end of the travel of the shoe on the support, and means for returning the shoe to its normal position.

9. In an automaticv stopping means for railroad cars, a swinging support arranged parallel with a track rail, a shoe slidable on the support and extending overthe track rail, and means whereby the support will be operated to move the shoe from over the track rail at the end of travel of the shoe my hand at Paris this 14th day of September, 1925.

JEAN FARENC. 

